A sunny day, and considering the showers over the last few days, we were lucky to get through the game dry.
Saracens started their season with a high-scoring win over South Molton.
Today we had a high scoring game with us with the highest score.

I hate to say this, and there is no way around it, it was a game of two halves.
In the first half, we were all over them. I think they became a bit dazed by it all, and despite heroic tackling, just could not keep up with our speed, pace, good support and handling, everything a self-respecting coach could wish for. Had we done the same against Tavistock, we would have scored just as much.
At training on Thursday, Ben Russell had asked for just this, and he got it.

Saracens started well, pushing us back and forcing us to defend quite well, but eventually they won a five-yard lineout but made a mess of it, then shortly afterwards won another on the stand side, the forwards caught and drove over reasonably easily, the sideline conversion went over, 0~7 after ten minutes.
It was looking as if we were in for a tough game.
In that first period, we did have some good runs at them, from Harrison Coonick and Warren Weerakoon. Warren in particular, ran really well all of the game, always strong in retaining the ball and making it available as well as speedy over the ground.

But then. With Ben Russell’s orders ringing in the collective ears, we started to use the backs. Well supported by the forwards, they were fast, very supportive of each other and passing and taking really well.
In next to no time, we were all over Saracens, and they struggled to cope with the tide of runners coming at them. As the photos show, there was no lack of tackling, sometimes by three players on one of ours, but the speed of support did for them.

Our first try was on twelve minutes, a neat cross-field kick by Leighton Stark towards the turnstile corner was taken by Charlie Over at fourteen, who beat one man to score out wide. Leighton Stark put over a decent conversion on a breezy afternoon in parts.
The scores were now level at 7~7.
From the restart on about fourteen minutes, a good run by Warren Weerakoon set up the try after passing to Harrison Coonick, who ran it on to their twenty-two, Charlie Groves took over and crossed twelve feet out from the entrance side post. Again, Leighton Stark converted. 14~7 at the lead.
Twenty minutes and the third try on the wing by the turnstiles, again we attacked fast, getting close to the posts and sent it right towards the wing, Toby Moss took it and scored in the corner. The Leighton Stark conversion went over. 21~7.

Twenty-five and the bonus point try, we attacked down the middle, Warren Weerakoon running well to get close in, Luke Stannard took it from the ruck and sent to sent it right again for Charlie Over to score his second. He really is a strong runner and tall with it.
The conversion missed. 26~7.
Twenty-nine minutes and a fifth try. They restarted but the ball went straight into touch, so we had a scrum in the middle. So far, the scrums were even, maybe a nudge of a couple of feet by one pack, then the other had a nudge.
Luke Stannard quickly put the ball to the clubhouse side, Warren Weerakoon again ran strongly, taking the ball towards the posts, tackled Andy Pond took over and fairly easily went in under the crossbar. An easy conversion for Leighton Stark. 33~7.
On a hot afternoon, we as the runners were getting hot and they having to be all over the place tacking were getting hot too. Half-time was looking welcome for both teams.
As half time closed in one last try of the half for us scored by Ethan Millard, who crossed near the posts under considerable pressure, the conversion by Leighton Stark went over. 40~7.
At last Saracens managed to stop the wave of tries with one of their own. On thirty six minutes from a lineout midfield, they took the ball and sent it towards the clubhouse, getting close to the scoreboard corner, stopped, they put it to the backs again and across the field to speed in at the corner flag, stand side school end. The conversion went over 40~14.
Thus stood the score at halftime. Both teams' lineouts were going well; we did have one not straight, and the packs were even.
I think Saracens had a stiff talking to at half time because they came out much stronger and for the rest of the game really competed well, unfortunately, our play, that in the first half that had been as smooth as a silk worm’s tie, became ragged in parts but good enough to slow the revived Saracens and keep ahead.
On five minutes Saracens opened the second half scoring after were were penalised for holding on, they attacked fast and went in by the scoreboard, despite the wind dropping the conversion was missed, 40~19.
This is where we managed to keep ahead when we scored on twenty-one minutes, a lineout about fifteen yards out from their line was taken well once and given to Andy Pond, who got up to their five-yard line, then quickly along the line for Toby Moss to go in unopposed with the freedom to run in nearer the posts and touch down. The conversion went over. 47~19.
From the restart, we knocked on a high ball, from the scrum they ran at us, stopped at one point, one of their players was extremely fast when he saw a gap in the defence and with great speed shot through, and despite Toby Moss doing his best to stop him, he went through to score. The conversion went over. 47~26.
While Saracens were making their score more respectable bit by bit, they were never quite able to get hold of us.
On twenty-six minutes, another score for us with Toby Moss now at scrum half, they tried to run out of defence, but the final pass was forward, from the scrum it went to the backs, stalled on the five yard line midfield but Toby Moss got it running again towards the stand side school end, with Charlie Groves going over for his second. The conversion missed.
52~26.
With the time running down it was now too late for Saracens to save the game, but despite that they had one last try after running strongly getting deep into our twenty two, stopped they sent it to the club house side, another lunge at the line was stopped but they put it inside this time the forward was able to go over, touching down inches over the line.
The conversion went over 52~33. A well-earned bonus point to the Saracens.
The final word went to us on thirty-five minutes.
A slightly bazaar moment, we won a close in line out and attacked toward the score board corner, somehow we lost the ball, they went to kick it out from their try line, the ball was sliced, it hit their post and fell in to the hands of one of our players about twelve feet out from the line mid field, it ended up with Charlie Groves who scored his third, the Leighton Stark conversion went over.
59~33.
Not long afterwards, Gary Endacott blew his final whistle for full-time.
A well refereed game.
We are joint second in the league with Bideford, behind Topsham II.